or importance
attached to his superstitions and follies, transforms himself into an
angel of light, striving to deceive the simple-minded. In this way he
deluded a woman of rank with many visions and revelations which seemed
to her real and true, and in which, according to her statement, he
appeared in the form of our Lord Jesus Christ, taught her many things,
and bade her instruct the people therein. The same father, as soon
as he became aware of this, sought to undeceive her, enjoining her
not to repeat those things to any one. But she paid no heed to this,
and assembled secretly, at night, a number of persons; and, in order
that they might go more willingly, she said that the father had told
her to proceed. In this way she persevered in making known her fancies
and illusions. Those who were present, noticing that her method of
instruction and speech was similar to that employed by the priestesses
of the idols when they are possessed by the demon--making a thousand
gestures and movements like those of a madman or deranged person
(which was the method formerly employed by the devil in making answers
through the mouths of the catalonans)--hastened to give information
of this proceeding. The father, learning for the second time of this,
which was again taking place, assembled in the church the people who
had heard this woman speak; and, showing them what it really was,
undeceived them, pointing out the falsity of all those things, and
the wiles of the devil. By these means an evil was corrected which
doubtless would have been very great if so timely and appropriate a
remedy had not been applied. In another instance a poor fellow was
relieved by an Agnus Dei [6] which one of our brethren gave him. The
latter had sent some Indians to cut grass, and one of them fled inland,
among the mountains, as if terrified and beside himself; and wandered
from hill to hill during an entire day, until he was found in that
condition by some other Indians, who conveyed him to his house. When
the brother visited him, the Indian said that he wished to confess,
for the demons were harassing him in such a manner that he could not
rest; and that, without any intention, and unable to control himself,
he had wandered alone and in terror through the wilderness. The brother
brought him to a father, who heard his confession; but afterward he
again suffered in the same way. Again he repaired to the brother, and
told him of his trouble; and the latter